AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the state must pay its bills before it borrows more money.
In his weekend radio address, the governor follows up on his State of the State speech last week. In that speech, he said the Legislature must tackle a $220 million dollar revenue shortfall now. This weekend, he says he’s “cautiously optimistic” the Appropriations Committee will come up with a solution by Wednesday.
LePage also acknowledges Democrats are calling for a bond issue. LePage says there’s a real need for transportation improvements and bonding would create short-term construction jobs, but the state can’t talk about borrowing more money until there’s a plan to pay current bills.
In the Democratic response, Sen. Seth Goodall of Richmond says bonds are a first step toward revitalizing the economy.
No matter which party or leaning a balanced budget is a must and the law. We are going to have to bite the bullet and do this on a national level.
Plenty of monies to be saved by Cutting Here.
Check it out, Way Too Porky.
I’m thinking the Guvnah’s spending cuts will be most effective.
Thank You MaineOpenGov.org
We need to know where our Tax monies are being Wasted.
Easier to Cut Effectively. Lots of Pork in here.
Stop Spending what we DON’T Have!
Send this to our representatives and hold them accountable!
Unlike the Feds, Maine can’t just print money and I don’t think China will float us a loan.
MaineOpenGov.org
http://maineopengov.org/
He
doesn’t want any more bond issues . The people get to decide on whether they
should or should not be passed. Roads, bridges and many other things are deteriorating
and will only cost more in the future to fix. These do create jobs . He wants
jobs bit then doesn’t want bond issues that will provide jobs or keep jobs.
Look around your town to see the condition of you bridges, roads, water &
sewer projects that are needed or updated. It is for the people of Maine to if
we want them, not the governor.
Don’t spend money we don’t have.
CUT SPENDING !
The Legislature pushes bonds out to vote as a way to get money without raising taxes or having to look for it in other places such as funding cuts. Borrowing money is what it is and it has to be paid back.
The issue I have with borrowing money by bonding is that those projects should be budgeted for to begin with.
If you were to buy a car or a home do you just go out and pay for it ? Not likely. You go to the bank take out a loan and pay it off over time from your wages. No difference with a bond.
Before you complain about our level of bonding. Our per capita bond debt is 23% below the national average and our bond rating supports reasonable indebtness,
You make a good point. We all borrow or use credit in order to purchase large items that we cannot pay for all at once. Government does this with bonding. However I dont think it is a good idea to think that you never have to save any money to put towards paying for a proect or purchase as you can allows borrow to pay for it.
Our level of bonding may be low and yet what bonds have we approved that have been at the expense of other projects of greater significance or need?
The Bangor and Aroostock Railroad went out of business as they could not make money. The Maine and Montreal Railway takes over and cannot make money and abandons parts of its right of way. So that is two railroads who cant make money as private enterprises operating that line. However the State of Maine borrows money through bonding to buy the line, upgrade it and then hopes that a private company will buy the line. Even though history shows us that this is likely not going to happen.
Yup; we have a perfectly good legislature which should be doing the heavy lifting on this. That is, after all, what we are presumably paying them for. Every time we voters authorize another bond, we relieve our legislature of the responsibility we have so carefully delegated to them. If these people are even half as smart as they keep telling us they are, they can do it. If they can’t do it, they need to get the heck out of the way and we’ll look for somebody who can. Vote the bums out.
They do not have to ask and if you pay attention to the cost of the bonds we already have on the books you might be amazed at the debt we already carry. We pay somewhere in the vicinity of 100 + million in debt service a year. Bonds cost us and our future generations money just like the debt the federal government has. We can not continue to borrow our way out of trouble. Yes our infrastructure can use some revitalization so instead of borrowing we should prioritize what must be done first. We shouldnt be bonding because it won’t just stop at our infrastructure next it will be give the universities some for some study or something.
Why aren’t we talking about the $65 million that Penguin is setting aside as a deposit to the ‘rainy day fund’? Somebody ought to remind him that it’s raining.
Better go look out your window, it’s a Beautiful Sunny day!
A GUIDE TO DEBT LIMIT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li0no7O9zmE
But we can give tax cuts to wealthy, before we pay our bills? I agree we have to pay our bills, so revoke the tax cuts and let’s make some cuts. If you’re asking the poorest Mainers to give up their health insurance maybe you and the congress can take a pay cut or some reduced benefits or something it only seems fair right? I don’t understand why the poor and elderly have to bare this burden alone, why can’t everyone chip in including the rich? There is nothing fair about giving Penguin friends tax cuts and then throwing 65,000 POOR people off Maine Care.
You mean to tell me that a single earner making $19,500 and a couple making $39,000 are wealthy. This income level is NOT WEALTHY. Repeat, NOT WEALTHY. This group benefited the most from the LePage tax cuts and now you’re saying they are wealthy and should be taxed more. Give me a break! We have plenty of revenue, the problem is the State of Maine needs to reign its spending.
You don’t cut taxes when you’re in the hole! You just don’t!
Don’t spend money we don’t have.
CUT SPENDING !
You dont raise taxes when the economy is in the tank,and times are tough. You make cuts,just like everybody would have to do in their own home,which you probably dont have, or you wouldnt be spewing such drivel.
No one mentioned raising taxes; I said you don’t give out tax cuts! And I said “let’s make some cuts”. Crying that we’re out of money and the state has to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and elderly and disabled, while you’re cutting your revenue makes no sense and is completely hypocritical.
Taxes in this state are already sky high. We have a tax on EVERYTHING. Sending a message to businesses that we are serious about our high taxes and want to get our fiscal house in order is the best thing we can do. Also, we have the money to take care of the elderly.mentally ill, and others who deserve it. What we cannot do anymore is run a nanny /welfare state that attracts everybody from all over the globe, or the lazy who dont simply dont want to work. There is a ton of welfare fraud out there, and now that we are actually LOOKING for it, will uncover it, and put a STOP to it.
But do you think Obama did a good thing by extending Bush tax cuts and instituting a payroll tax holiday? Especially since we are currently running a $1.5 trillion dollar deficit?
When you’re in the hole, responsible state officials ask why. When the answer comes back that our Medicaid entitlement is the root cause of this problem, all because it has become too generous and is now 35% above the national average. The solution is simple. CUT Medicaid and bring it back down to the national average. It is simply unfair to continually raise taxes on hard working Mainers to pay for an exponentially increasing welfare program, especially when many of these hard working Mainers do not have health insurance because their taxes are too high, because of our unsustainable welfare program. This death spiral must stop and Medicaid needs structural reform to kill this growing beast, before it saps every tax dollar.
I support the Governor on this issue and encourage everyone else to do the same. We’ve got to get our fiscal house in order and this is the FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS.
Also didn’t the fed say these cuts would be illegal, and Maine could lose its wavier? So we want Maine to lose its Wavier? How completely devastating would that be to the Disabled, and elderly?
No they did not. This is just Democratic spin in order to continue the failed tax and spend policies of the FAILED BALDACCI administration. Sebellius assured LePage he would get the waivers, so now the Appropriations Committee needs to act to save the Maine people from the exponentially increasing entitlement crowd.
My tax cut equals $17. I canlive without it!!!
Hey at least you got one.
If Maine doesn’t quit going after “The Rich”, the rich will bail out and leave the rest of us here trying to maintain our champagne welfare services on a beer budget. When that sad day arrives, a single earner making $19,500 and a couple making $39,000 are going to be The Rich. Then, inevitably, someone is going to pop up and say, “Hey! I know! Let’s tax the rich!!!” Albert Einstein said that the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting different results.
The country is in one of the worst reccessions since WWII. We are trying to pay down the debt which was created in the past twenty years…not what was created in the past three. States are trying to get back on their feet and with the federal goverment cutting back and trying to pay off national debt, there is less federal money coming into the states, so the states have to increase their funding to help offset taking care of the poor, elderly and disabled…NOW…it took twenty years to accumulate this debt, you don’t have to balance state and federal budgets in one year by cutting funding for the disabled, poor, and elderly. You do it by putting in sound policies that cut the debt slowly but still provide services to it’s citizens….policies that say we will start paying down our debt and still work with agencies to help the states economy and its people. It’s like me in stop spending on my credit card and finally get with consumer counseling and set up a plan to pay off my visa debt, but still beable to live in the mean time….You don’t just start slashing departmenst and agencies and try to balance the debt in one year….and with that you drive the middle class into the poor class and than there one be two Maine peoples…rich and poor….Governor…start listening to both sides and come up a plan to start cutting costs, paying down our debt but still have programs that will benefit our people and the economy..instead of bullying, having a fit when people question your ideas etc. It’s called working for the people of Maine who have elected you to lead, not drive a wedge between eachother…..Good Day!
Thank you
Plenty of monies to be Saved by Cutting Here.
I’m thinking the Guvnah’s spending cuts will be Most effective.
Thank You MaineOpenGov.org for making it Easier to Cut Effectively.
MaineOpenGov.org
http://maineopengov.org/
Check it out, Way Too Porky.
And rather than raise revenues or seek out savings in every department all Poor Paul can come up with is cuts to the poor, mentally or physically ill, elderly and NOW our children’s educations. I’m not sure if this is sick thinking on his part or he’s simply too dim to figure out that savings in government can be found everywhere. Why the fixation on the poor, needy, and young? Could it be because they have so little power to fight back? Yep, that’s it. The classic cowardly bully maneuver that Paul has used all his life.
Make a suggestion rather than relaxin????? Dumb rant, not worthy of a posting.
How about we tax wealth, not labor?
How about we Cut Spending?
“Raise revenues”? Say is like it is. You mean raise taxes. Then, a few years down the road, here we are again. Broke, and up to our eyes in debt again. Then what do we do? :raise revenue” again? Great plan.
….
When most folks households are broke shouldn’t they seek to work harder to raise revenues? Even in your own household do you not look to every opportunity to save cash? Or do you ask your bosses (The wealthy) to take more of your pay (As Paul has paid them the honor of a tax break for all with estates valued over $2 MILLION!) and cut only allowances to your children because they aren’t important enough or big enough to fight back? That’s what Mr. LePage has offered up thus far and you’ve come here to defend.
I say the government can be and should be run a little more like an intelligently run household and less like serfdoms that exist only to serve the needs and provide wealth to Kings. Now of course if you happen to be a King (Or at least think you deserve to be) I’m sure you may see things from another perspective. However, as an American it is my right to vote against the little Kings that you and Mr. LePage support and I certainly plan to do so when I vote next November.
My “household” is not broke, because I didnt creat a huge ,nanny,welfare state that is unsustainable. This is what the liberal dems have created, and the Maine taxpayer finally had enough of being screwed over by the liberals in the statehouse, and put in a Gov. and a legislature with enough backbone to do something that should have been done many years ago. As far as the estate tax, you are out to lunch again. Why should a family have to pay outrageous taxes, on an estate that somebody has worked their whole life for,and paid taxes every year while building up said estate? Its BS. You sound just like all the other typical liberal do nothings that mouth things like “raising revenue” like its just a normal thing to do. Not anymore. We finally have a governor with a brain, and a backbone, and the ability to use both at the same time. Liberals on the other hand, lack both of these important body parts.
Here, here! (or is it “Hear, hear!”) ?
So contempt for “Liberals” but you will still accept any corporate welfare from the state, that is raised by taxing those same “Liberals you have such contempt for. Boy you really have the best of all worlds. Denigrate “Liberals and take their tax money; while you whine about paying taxes yourself.
Most liberal I know dont pay a hell of a lot in taxes, and many I know dont work at all. They are too busy camping out in a park,peeing in the bushes, and trying to figure out how to stay on the states teat.
So self righteous, and has all the answers too. a legend in your own mind. It must be wonderful being you.
It amazes me: this sense of entitlement to other peoples’ money. Where do you get off setting YOURSELF up to decide who gets to keep their money, and who gets a free ride on the backs of taxpayers? The government is the WORST possible entity to decide on ‘investing’ in anything at all. We have just this week seen the third huge “green” corporation go tits-up after getting billions of our tax dollars thanks to the genius of Obama and all the liberal elite doofuses he has surrounded himself with. The very oldest trick in the political play book is to point at “The Rich” and try to demonize them. For what? For being successful? How did they get rich? They made something, or invented something, or sold something that everybody wanted. the ‘little people’ PAID them gladly to benefit from their products. You will never, EVER be able to legislate equality, because people are not equal. Some will always go the extra mile to have more, and some will always be happy to sit on their butts and just stick their hand out. Sure, luck has something to do with it, as well as good timing, but these are not reasons to punish successful people. The fastest way to increase the misery for everybody is to continue to spend money we don’t have. The fastest way out of the mess we are in is to quit spending and to create a business climate that encourages investment by the very people, the rich people, you so want to drive out of the state by hounding to death with taxes. Even the dimmest liberal should be able to grasp the concept that you can take every nickel a rich man owns and it still won’t be enough to pay off the state’s debt. You have to make wealthy people welcome, and encourage them to stick their necks out in the business environment you create, so that they generate lots of decent jobs. Investors are the money machine, not the government. Investors create wealth; government consumes wealth. No, I’ll go farther than that: government positively wastes money because its minions aren’t looking out for us, they’re looking out for themselves. The biggest difference between a government worker and a private sector worker is that the government guy takes home a paycheck whether or not he does his job, or is even very good at it. If a private sector worker doesn’t measure up, he’s gone. This is as it should be.
Thats all democrats are good at, jim. Its the ONLY card they have left. Dems are really great at helping people out. You see, they find somebody who “they” say is in need of help. They tell that person, “hey, I am here to help you”. They then reach over to you, pull your wallet out and hand over however much money “they” think the guy needs. The guy looks up to the benevolent democrat and says: “thank you”! And the demodcrat says: “you’re welcome, Dont forget to vote!” And, the guy who gets screwed is you. Great plan ,huh?
Some plan alright, but there are signs that people are finally starting to wake up. Think about our 50-year Fight Against Poverty; today, untold trillions of dollars after Lyndon Johnson took us to war against poverty, the government tells us there are more poor people than when we started. Kind of flies in the face of reason, doesn’t it? But then – you think about how many times the “experts” have, um, redefined poverty (always raising the baseline…), and you see why. In other parts of the world, people scratch their heads; they hear about our “poor”, but what they see is people with color TVs, cars, enough food to be fat, free medical care (hey, if you can walk into any hospital and they HAVE to treat you the same as the paying customers, it meets MY definition of FREE care…). They see people getting five kinds of public assistance taking their kids to Disney World… they have to wonder if we have taken leave of our senses. Well, we have.
Some people who are raised on welfare, have children they raise on welfare and the cycle continues. Sadly, some people on welfare don’t expect or want anything more for their children. If you are raise with this welfare mentality, you don’t expect anymore out of life or even know there is something more in the world. It is very sad and a waste of what could potentially be a good life.
We are on our 4th generation of welfare families now. These people are so far away from a ‘work ethic’ it may as well be an alien concept.
Work. What is work? Ethic. Is that jiberish?
What makes you think the ones on welfare say “Thank you?” It’s more like “Up yours, don’t I get more?”
That is a telling point! Of course there are professional ‘representatives’ of welfare recipients who go about (heck – they make their LIVING) telling their people how society ‘owes’ this assistance to them. Talk about creating a counter-productive mentality. True believers then just sit down and extend their palms and await the largess of the public. It is their right; their due, their birthright. Work is for suckers. Tough to fight that mindset.
Actually the oldest trick in the political playbook is fear-mongering. And both parties are experts in this tactic.
You are Good!
Key phrase in your post would be to “work harder to raise revenues.” Didn’t need to say anything after that as it takes the government no effort, beyond some paperwork, to collect taxes.
YAWN!!!!!!
Did you read the article yesterday that pointed out that Maine spends more in corporate welfare and tax incentives to the business community than it spends on every other program, including welfare and DHHS combined? There’s room for some tax increases.
Theres “room” for tax increases? Really? Lets see: The company I work for is in a small town. They send a check to the town to the tune of around 7 MILLION dollars,every year,give or take,83% of the entire tax income for the town. Thats just local taxes,not all the other taxes on profits if there are any, and equipment,etc,etc.The over 800 people I work with make between $45,000.00 to $150,000.00 a year,and also pay taxes and buy a ton of everything we need to live on. The company buys hundreds of millions of dollars of “stuff” from all over the state, and country generating more taxes. This company pays so many taxes, and hires so many people that the town its in,which by the way has the best of everything,(firetrucks,police,teacher pay,roads,etc) would fold up like a cheap lawn chair inside of a week if they moved out of state. Is this the type of company where all this “room” for more taxes is? I dont think so. We have been punishing businesses in this state for 35 years under the dems watch with no success. I guess a few years trying something different would be a nice change IMO.
very few voices of reason on here so far your one of few
Thanks.
Fascinating. The only thing that you failed to mention is how much profit the ‘small’ company that you work for is pulling down and how much tax forgiveness the citizens of Maine are forking over in exchange for your $150K salary. You do realize that a salary range of $45K and $150K puts the employees of your company somewhere between 3 and 9 times the income of the typical Mainer, right? Those typical Mainer’s are paying taxes that make your $150K salary possible (in the form of corporate welfare and tax breaks). I’m not interested in hearing a poverty cry from someone making six figures in a poor state. Sorry.
Do you have a problem with people getting decent salaries in this state? It sure sounds like it! I think it would be great if a lot more folks could pull down jobs paying “somewhere between 3 and 9 times the income of the typical Mainer”. That would be the way out of the woods, as it were. More people earning more money. Let’s try it!
Our salaries are greater than the average? So what? It isnt like I get my pay from the taxpayer. Run on down to Mardens and buy a life.
no but you are no doubt overpaid in comparison to the effort and skill of what a Marden’s worker makes! Probably “lucked” into your job by having some connections.
so the rich can’t possibly pay a nickel more out of each dollar they make over $1 million! wow you must believe in Santa, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy too.
Its not that they cannot pay, its WHY should they? The rich, who already pay their fair share of taxes, should pay more for other peoples mistakes, just because they can? What kind of left wing, wacko logic is that?
It’s a progressive tax for a reason, those that make more, pay more. I don’t agree that the rich are already paying a fair amount. After 50 years of the top tax rate steadily being reduced (redistribution of wealth/dividing America) from 92% down to only 35% now, the rich now own 70% of the wealth and to be fair, they should pay 70% of the taxes. Since trickle down is a failed GOP idea, let’s try trickle up. Increase taxes on the rich, reduce taxes on the middle class. The middle class will spend every cent and this will stimulate demand and ultimately more jobs to meet that demand.
Are you serious?? “There’s room for some tax increases”???? Bangorian, you are liberal simplicity personified!! I could go into great detail here, but with your limited reasoning I don’t think you could understand. What scares the daylights out of me is that you probably are a voter and you aren’t alone.
70 % of Americans including many Republicans support tax increases on millionaires!!!!!
You mistyped “Fee”, the current PC term for raising revenues. For example the new monthly fee to be imposed by the R’s on all health plans in the state of Maine thanks to the health care “reform” law they passed in the last session.
Paul LePage promised jobs. So where are they? Typical political promise. Now he and all his friends are trying to find ways to make excuses why jobs are not the primary issue. My god folks, where are the jobs. Absolutly, there are no livable jobs available. If you keep saying this, go try yourself to find a permanent LIVABLE job WITH BENIFITS.
Support small business you say. A small business with 3-4 employees will cost the owner more for employee benifits than his entire payroll. Good job republicans with your support to the insurance companies. Your plan is upside down.
Well, let’s look at the insurance companies. One thing that would benefit the insurance climate is some serious competition between companies. The state had that shut down for a long time. Makes for a monopoly, you know. Another factor – and it is huge – is how politicians meddle with the rates. Here’s an example: insurance companies employ people known as actuaries to calculate the odds of things happening among populations. Premiums (rates) are set according to how likely any particular event is calculated to be in a given population. After many years, it is scary how accurate these calculations can be. Nobody knows when YOU personally will die, but it is possible to say that X people of a given age, who are smokers will die by age Y out of a given group. The insurance companies have actuarial tables that set out these probabilities, and insurance rates can be set from those tables. Now, look at a certain subset of people: teenagers. The actuarial tables show that teenage BOYS have higher accident rates than teenage GIRLS. Boys have all that testosterone to deal with; makes us squeal tires, pass on curves, peel out to impress girls, yadda, yadda… Therefore, insurance company actuarial tables reveal that boys are at higher risk of being in accidents than girls of similar age. That’s just the way we are made. So… insurance companies set their premiums to reflect the different risks. Result: boys pay more for their insurance than girls do. Now, you have people going to their politicians and crying, “unfair!” It’s just not FAIR! (as if ‘fair’ were some natural law that had to be complied with). Now politicians make the insurance companies adjust their rates so that every teen pays exactly the same rate. That skews the market and makes it really hard to set an equable premium. What do politicians know of actuarial considerations? Nothing. Have they helped anyone? Doubtful. Any time government steps into a situation to meddle, you can count on it costing you more in the long run.
Do you not get the phrase Cant get blood from a turnip? We already have one of the highest tax burdens in the country. So lets just raise the taxes on the people and companies that choose to stay here. Yup just brilliant. Incase you havent bothered to rad the life story of the Gov. He was poor needy and young. He didnt need the govt. to bail him out with a cadillac health care plan or free money.
LePage does have an amazing story but he had people like Peter Snowe who helped him. Not every poor person has this chance.
MAINE Debt Clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-maine-debt-clock.html
U.S. Debt Clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
No. More. Bonds.
No. More. Decent. Highways.
No. More. Safe. Bridges.
No. More. Public. Water.
No. More. Sewer.
No. More. Businesses.
No. More. Jobs.
No. More. Anything.
….
Buulies always prey on the weakest. That’s why they are bullies!!!
….
I think too many brain cells have been killed by alcohol even though there weren’t many there to begin with. He reminds me so much of my alcoholic abusive first husband it’s scary.
….
I think I know why he drank.
So much money is spent by DHHS & Education in ME , that this is the logical place for LePage to be looking at cuts
….
Thank goodness, the voice of reason. You cannot spend what you don’t have regardless of circumstances. We all need to pay off our debt, including the state.
I agree. The Art of Liberal Politics seems to be convincing people that we can do exactly that – spend money we do not have. After 40 years, their ideas have just about run the ship of state aground.
Wow, here we go again, the 40 year statement. Get real, We all had 40 great years except for the years the republicans had a voice.
Depending on your point of view, I guess you are correct. The Democrats DID have a lovely 40 years, the problem is that all the gravy has been spent or stolen. No more easy money. As Margaret Thatcher observed, Socialism works great, until you run out of other peoples’ money.
Improvement to the roads, a east west highway and an extension of I-95 highway to the north would all increase commerce for the state and be worth money spent for a bond.
I will not vote for any bonds come November! Maine must take care of the people that need help and untill that start to happen I will never vote to increase our spending on anything else.
My tax cut went to a health care insurance increase, net savings = zero! oops.. figured it wrong.. add dental and its -2%
Seth Goodall has his head in the sand. Has he been asleep at the switch? His argument is the old Keynsian economics sop that borrowing for jobs will lift the economy. OBUMMEr has proven big time that it just doesn’t work that way. How can these fools keep spouting the same garbage?
The trickle down only works for the wealthy simpley because it goes in their own pockets and banked out of country. There the ones who got the breaks, so how are they helping?
I am going to call my repersentitives and sentors first thing Monday mornig and let them know of my displeasure will Paul LaPage and that I expect them to come up with the Money to take care of shortfalls in Maine Care without comprimise. Fire Paul LaPage NOW!
Good luck with that plan.
While you are on the phone with them, remind them that Maine still owes its hospitals over $125,000,000 on unpaid bills run up by the previous administration… I’d call that a shortfall for sure. If they don’t get their money, they go out of business. That might just possibly have a negative impact on people. Ya think?
Keep up the good work Gov. So nice to have a bit of fiscal sanity in Augusta for a change.
The same old Republican strategy of refusing to let government create jobs. Their goal is to dismantle govenrment and let corporations rule the world. In other words, a peon class and a small elite superclass. This is what “freedom” means.
Sure thing sprucy, I see how well the government has done creating jobs lately. We are putting up wind turbines with borrowed money,that make the most expensive and unreliable electricity there is. Solar panel companies that go belly up a year after they get a 500 MILLION dollar,job creating loan from obama. GM is spending billions of our money, making a car nobody in their right mind would buy, the VOLT. The new Edsel. All with money we borrow from China, and will saddle our children with a debt so large they will never be able to repay it. Real good plan there sprucy. I’ll pass.
You’re Right on the Money, This is what some people don’t get.
A GUIDE TO DEBT LIMIT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
We’re still experiencing the great economic misfortunes last republican admin, you want to dig the hole deeper? Quick question, you’re car breaks down and there’s no money in the bank for another, do you borrow money for a new so you can to get to work? Since most posting here appear to never have made it through Eco 101 I suggest they educate themselves a little better than watching Faux News and reading MHPC drivel.
Not that simple. The libs proverbial car breaks down and they make $20,000/year and they go get a loan to buy $50,000 car to get to work. That car breaks down in a month, and you still owe $45,000, but you need to go get another loan for $50,000 so you can go get the same car that broke down. You keep digging yourself into a hole and can’t get out.
And now we have more wild fabrication from the far right. Drop a aero or 2 and try to dig yourself out
Okay, $2,000/year….$5,000 car…still owe $4,500. Dropped a zero from all of them and still the math doesn’t add up.
How ridiculous a statement. Very few libs can afford $50,000 cars….because Bush and the GOP put our economy in the toilet and have obstructed all efforts to fix it.
AMEN!!!
Where were you when Bush took a budget surplus from Clinton of $236 billion and turned it into a deficit of 800 billion? Bush then left Obama an economy in shambles which required government spending to rescusitate, 2 wars , and massive tax cuts for the wealthy. Blaming Obama seems a little disingenuous.
Were you alive for 9/11/11?? I mean, did you just sleep through that? or maybe the decade that followed?? come on sickofstupidcomments…..
The only problem is that most of the $ went to Iraq. Remind me again what Iraq had to do with 9/11
Cheny had to do with Iraq. He and his friends are now super rich.
Were YOU alive for 9/11 ?? Iraq had absolutely NOTHING to do with 9/11. The WMD cause for war was a total FABRICATION on the part of Bush,Cheney,and Rumsfield. If we wanted to attack a country after 9/11 it should have been Saudi Arabia.
I’d say you had a point there. Especially, since 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis.
WMD was a lie. Plans to invade Iraq were on the table long before 9/11.
you libs keep driving the car into the same ditch no matter what the subject is . truthbe known you have long ago wore that subject out . but back to the main subject here to borrow money to do or fix roads is only a short term solution to the economys problems and it will never be a real economy going about it that way.we will just keep on digging the hole deeper that way.we dont need temp. jobs we need real jobs for a real long time then it will be a real economy
Republican fools who helped cause this mess by electing Bush twice have the gall to blame Obama for the GOP mess! Using their way of thinking, a fireman must be the cause of a fire that he’s trying to put out!!!!!!
Plenty of monies to be saved by Cutting Here.
Check it out, Way Too Porky.
I’m thinking the Guvnah’s spending cuts will be most effective.
Thank You MaineOpenGov.org
We need to know where our Tax monies are being Wasted.
Easier to Cut Effectively. Lots of Pork in here.
Stop Spending what we DON’T Have!
Send this to our representatives and hold them accountable!
Unlike the Feds, Maine can’t just print money and I don’t think China will float us a loan.
MaineOpenGov.org
http://maineopengov.org/
maineopengov.org? — surely, you jest! The mouthpiece for the Maine Heritage Policy Center. Consider the source for your links before you post more garbage like that! Thanks.
Would you rather it be moveon.org?? Nothing corrupt about them…. lol
Government does not “create jobs”. The best thing government can do is GET OUT OF THE WAY, and let the private sector create jobs. Or… are you counting stuff like temporary Bureau of the Census positions as “jobs”…?
what do you and your family do when you have no money to buy things. do you go out and borrow on next years income that has not even arrived yet. paying off debts and not borrowing money is the smart and common sense thing to do. try exercising that for a change. money does not grow on trees and the last time government tried creating jobs, they all went to big banks, big business, big auto and and adding even more government employees to the payroll and lining pockets of those who do not need it. where are all those jobs. banks failed, businesses failed and they even took our money to give to them.
Thank you for putting in so plain, but SpruceDweller will not understand a word you said.
Yeah, might as well be speaking… Greek.
When it comes time to buy a new car do you pay cash ? Most families can not. They go to the bank borrow what they can afford and pay it back over time.
When you buy a home do you pay cash ? Doubtful — you borrow to invest in your future and the future of of your family.
When it is time to perform major repairs to you home do you pay cash ? Doubtful — you go to the bank, borrow and make the improvements to keep the house from falling in further disrepair.
Just like your household budget you borrow as you need and what you can afford. The same holds true for our state budget.
I do not go out and buy more cars and houses when I cannot pay for the ones I already have that are broken, which I also cannot afford to repair.
“Just like your household budget you borrow as you need and what you can afford. The same holds true for our state budget.”
*****************************************************************************************
The problem is, WE CAN’T AFFORD IT ANYMORE!!!
i do not go to the bank and borrow. i live within my means and income. if i have to go 10, 15, 20 years without a brand new car, then so be it. right now i am driving a 20 year old truck that was paid off in one year and haven’t had a car payment in 4 years. i do not have credit cards, i have no loans. if i want something, then i have to save money up for the purchase. no money, no item to purchase.
you completely missed the whole point about borrowing. if you do not have the money, then you do not purchase the item. borrowing money only cost you more money in the end. why go and purchase a bmw x5 get it licensed and inspected to only turn around when the plates expire drive on expired tags and no inspection. how is that living within your means.
the bmw x5 was in bangor walmart parking lot just last week with tags that were 6 months expired. living outside your means. sorry, but common sense applies to this situation and sounds like you lack that.
I guess there is a liberal belief that it is okay to keep on borrowing more money than you can possibly pay back. Where do you think that both the state and federal deficits come from? This is what got the entire country in trouble in the first place. It is totally irresponsible to continue doing. You do not borrow what you can’t pay back. Paul LePage is the first governor Maine has elected in many years that is governing like a responsible adult and you left wing shallow thinkers just keep on posting your inane comments. Greece beckons you, SpruceDweller.
Wow, libsux, you must be on Lepages payroll.
Disqus generic email templateNope, Just an overtaxed guy trying to pay my bills.
If the government (Obama) is good at creating jobs how is Solyndra and Siga doing right now.
Shhh, no one is supposed to know about that
Same old democratic rhetoric where the only jobs they have created, and it is a huge bunch, are working for the government. Whatever happened to the bracing discipline (oh I swore didn’t I) of getting your own stuff together rather than putting the arm on your neighbors. There is so much waste in this government all we need to do is wring the hell out of it and not raise “revenues” – oops, taxes. Freedom means the ability to be and to rely on yourself, not have Uncle provide cradle to grave, or is that too scary for you?
I count you among the idiots that believe we can borrow our way to prosperity. It’s an old and worn out democrat strategy.
It is not the mission of the government to create jobs, it is governments place to create an atmosphere where corporations and individuals can and want to create jobs. That is the problem with the failed liberal agenda, wanting the government to provide all the basic needs for its citizenry. The liberals will not be happy until the government runs all aspects of everyone’s lives and we cannot survive unless the government provides for us.
Who pays for these goverment jobs?? A: We all do with our taxes.
Your theory of the Govt creating jobs is a little flawed…. Without jobs, there would be no goverment worker. Govt doesnt create jobs, it destroys them. Enter: Roger Imelt, Your presidents Jobs man, who as CEO of GE, just cut 150 jobs in wisconsin, and invested 2billion in China…. ANything you have to add??
Plutocracy.
Only half true. You can’t slash taxes by $200 million and still be able to pay the bills.
Really? Maybe you should check out what Cristie is doing in NJ. The dems raised taxes so much there that thousands had had enough and moved out. Some estmates say somewhere between 25 and 50BILLION dollars of wealth moved out of NJ and headed down to Florida, and Texas. We are beyond the point of simply raising taxes here in Maine. Structural changes to our welfare system HAVE to be made, and they have to be made right now.
making these changes are easier said than done. The legislature passed a 5 yr time limit for TANf last yr. some people will see their TANF end May 31, ’12 however, clients have about 9 possible reasons for “extensions.” Policy has to be written OK’d by the lawyers and then the advocates will provide lawyers to fight DHHS in a fair hearing. The welfare spending is a giant monster that is now difficult to kill.
But Can Be. Starve it to Death.
hozhed, don’t be so stupid. The problem is not abuse of welfare, even though it needs revamping. It is mis-management of the Govs. departments. He is the boss and needs to take a look in his own backyard before jumping on the low income people. For sure, his approch will not make a dent in recovering anything from low income people.
He is a getting his advise from his special interest friends who he owes paybacks. Are you one of them?
No the problem is Democrats went bonkers expanding Welfare to the point you have more than 60% of the Maine population on Welfare , or on Unemployment & Welfare. It is not sustainable the state and the people go bankrupt because you have more folks collecting government than people working and paying taxes. We have to start kicking the deadbeat dads off of these programs, kick off people who keep getting pregnant to keep getting even more benefits because of them having more kids. What we need is to promote opportunity, responsibility and prosperity people being successful making something of themselves. Having high taxes, awful regulations, failing crumbling schools, awful infrastructure , with Rampant Welfare and with a restrictive Nanny State is not the answer.
Who is being stupid here? DHHS and Mainecare take up MOST of the whole budget,so where do you think 220 million is going to come from, The “save the murals!” budget? Go back to listening to Coast to Coast AM ,radio.
Well, yes you CAN. It involves reducing waste and fraud, and keeping public servants accountable. Think of all the money that turnpike authority guy siphoned off for the benefit of himself and his buddies; do you think he is the only one? Jeez, I’ll bet that was a drop in the bucket. What we need is a good ole witchhunt!
AMEN!
That is one point I will agree with the Governor on, no borrowing. That is what bonds are, borrowing now for us to payback later.
You are right. I’d go as far as to say it is the only thing I agree with the Governor on. It seems like every time a ballot comes around there is a transportation bond attached. Funding for roads etc ought to come from the annual budget. Ditto for new school construction.
Each of us individual taxpayers currently owes a share of the federal debt.
That is, at this moment in time, $135,370. and Rising.
How are You going to pay this off in Your lifetime?
Even on the “payment plan” you won’t do it.
So who pays? . . . Your Children and Grandchildren.
Stop being Selfish, Irresponsible parents.
STOP SPENDING ! ! !
….
maybe irresponsible parents should stop reproducing!
I heartily agree! But think of the stink the Liberals would raise about ‘limiting the opportunities of the poor’… Even though, when you think about it, it amounts to moms on welfare getting knocked up and unilaterally ‘deciding’ to increase their level of assistance. They just naturally expect us to give them more money to subsidize their irresponsible lifestyle. You know what they say: if you subsidize something (anything), you get more of it…
Boy you nailed it! When irresponsible parents who are subsidized by state and federal programs have more kids, the result is more future democrats, job security for liberal politicians, bureaucrats, and public employees unions.
Poor people and the elderly support Dems simply because they give a care about their plight. The GOP are selfish only care about themselves and their greed and they don’t GIVE A DAMN about anyone else.
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If all the tax payers paid there equal share we would all be better off.
Flat tax, no loopholes. Anyone who can’t agree with this has been getting the breaks.
Stop supporting selfish rich people and the corrupt GOP agenda and allow some tax increases on those who can afford it so that our grandchildren won’t have so much of a debt!
Why am I not suprised to read people posting about how evil the Governors statement is and how we shouldnt follow his proposal .
Well people with the attitude keep borrowing and something will catch us obviously think the president will bail us out as he did the big auto and banks. We need to take care of ourselves and live within our means.
All this shortfall is cause by cutting taxes on the one percent and giving tax breaks to the big companies wake up and figure it out Liepage..
Sounds like common sense to me ! Sadly some of our previous governors havent felt that way ! Thats why i will always say ! THERE ARE LOTS OF CENTS OUT THERE , BUT NOT ALOT COMMON !
First it was a 220 million dollar over expenditure by DHHS and now it is a 220 million dollar revenue shortfall.
If it was an over expenditure by DHHS then you and your crew helped that by failing to understand the department’s expenses and poorly budget.
If it was a revenue shortfall then you and the crew over estimated the expected revenues and made it worse with a 200 million tax break. And in your State of the State address you promised another 100 million dollar tax break. This should help you with next year’s anticipated revenues.
Which one is it Mr LePage ? Either answer and you own part of the problem. You need to stop blaming the elderly, handicapped, disabled, under employed and the children. Man up and work with the legislators. Make some cuts, transfer funds from one part of the budget to another and balance the budget.
No more borrowing (bond issues ) until we pay off our debts. Taken at face value and looking at the Bureau of Taxation projections that seems to indicate we do not have another bond issue until 2022.
How many out there think our highways, bridges and infrastructure can wait that long?
Mr LePage you also state we need ” … a plan to pay off our current bills.” Some where in your budget there is a line item for paying our bond obligations. If not you really do not have a grasp of our budget.
Oh yeah Mr LePage — bond issues are decided by referendum. Neither you nor our legislators have a say in this. This decision belongs to WE THE PEOPLE. And this is a decision that is determined by the majority.
” …. transportation improvements and bonding would create short term construction jobs, ….” Let’s look at what these improvements and the short term jobs would do.
1) ” short term jobs ” — according to you and your supporters any job is better than no job — you are all about creating private sector jobs so here’s you chance
2) ” short term jobs” — would reduce unemployment and its compensation — which seems to be a real concern for you and your supporters
3) ” short term jobs” — pay wages which makes house payments, buys food and clothes, encourages growth — this relates to more job creation
4) ” short term jobs” — a good portion of the money spent comes back to the state in the form of income taxes, sales tax and corporate taxes — think that might help address your expected revenues shortfall ?
5) transportaion improvements — if you can not get your goods to market efficiently it really does not matter if you are open for business or not.
As you often remind the public ” You can not have everything you want ” . Please realize you are going to have to accept some of what you consider bad to go with what you consider good to make our state run.
How about the State of Maine better manage our money and CUT WELFARE SPENDING? Once we rid ourselves of all our financial corruption scandals, such as the MTA and the MSHA perhaps our roads will indeed get the money they so deserve, WITHOUT BONDS. Not to get off the subject, but I hear Dale McCormick (Baldacci’s appointee) will be visiting Paul Violette shortly for crimes against the Maine people. There is plenty of revenue, the problem is the State of Maine has been WASTING THE TAXPAYER MONEY FOR TOO LONG!
“In the Democratic response, Sen. Seth Goodall of Richmond says bonds are a first step toward revitalizing the economy.”
Standard response from libs……borrow money first, raise taxes second, deny there is a problem third. Stop spending money we don’t have? Never!!
The state has been taking out bonds for years. If bonds were the Way to Prosperity, we’d be about half-way there by now.
the selling of bonds is not the way to go look at the feds they have offered over 3 billion in bonds and they are no better off now then before. Our individual tax bill is bigger.Billions in tax breaks have been offered to business for job creation, it has been a few years since the tax breaks why is unemployment still high ,bailout money for short term job creation is almost a joke when the company spends the money the short term jobs are gone with it,with the new tax cuts the top 1% again have it over the average person again $17.00 vs $2800.00, it is a big cycle untill the dems and reps get togather and curb spending the budget will never balence.But it is a lot easier to cut and slash the people that can least afford to put up a debate
ker
Yeah, it makes great financial sense NOT to borrow while interest rates and construction costs are at all time lows, and we could make great headway in restoring our horribly deteriorated infrastructure at the least possible expense. And forget that bond-financed infrastructure construction projects would also create hundreds or thousands of good paying jobs. When it comes right down to it, it sure looks like our governor is not serious when he says his administration is all about jobs and the economy.
Yeppers Interest rates might be low. Meterial and Labor isn’t. Go figure. These are not Jobs that are long term and will suport our people or the state of maine. We need factories, and manufacturing jobs to come back to the U.S. and to Maine or we are all doomed Rich and Poor alike.
Then Maine must stop cutting taxes on the wealthiest so that there is some money to actually pay the bills.
When are you going to get it? Taxes are not the problem but spending is. The wealthy people I know are residents of Florida where there is no state income tax anyway. Why should they stay here and get robbed blind by a system that won’t enact reforms. Ever. We need to stop spending money we don’t have. Constantly complaining about people who are wealthy is useless. Support candidates and politicians who are serious about taking on entitlement reforms and cutting unneeded programs and bridges to nowhere.
Yep. They can move to Florida and still come back for up to 180 days, and not have to pay the stupid state income tax. What fun to thumb their noses at the morons who tried to take their money and ended up driving them out of the state. Thank you, Liberals!
9% income tax is “robbed blind”? What the hell is wrong with people?
This is the flaw in your thinking: if you drive away the ‘rich’ people, they are going to take their money and go to places like Florida. See, the point of making money is to HAVE money. I know it irritates you to think of someone being comfortably well off, but there it is. There is no point in being rich, or even well off, if you can’t SPEND the money you’ve earned. If all those rich people stay here, they’ll spend a lot of their money here. When they spend their money here, we all benefit from the commerce it generates. If they go to Florida, they’ll spend their money THERE. That would be very bad for Maine. In addition to not having the taxes from the missing rich people, now we have to tax people in lower tax brackets; that might include YOU. Very, very bad… See, if you put the squeeze on free citizens, they can vote with their feet. Pretty soon, the state is looking at YOU to make up the shortfall. you may wish to ponder this.
I will remind you of this when Mr LePage retires with his state retirement and moves to Florida
Sounds like a good chance lay off a few thousand useless state employees.
Go to it, Paul!
why do you say useless?
Yes great idea! Let’s eliminate a few postions starting with your darling daughter.
LePage is right. Maine should not be borrowing as a means of trying to finance it’s budget. In fact I will even agree that he is right when he says we have to get State spending under control. Maine spends way too much money plain pure and simple. I doubt that there is a person in the State of Maine who does not feel that we have too many people on some form of welfare, be that food assistance, rent assistance, Mainecare or any of the other programs that most people think of as welfare. Social Security, Medicare and unemployment do not fall into that category. I will also agree that there is fraud in the system, however the fraud is no where near what some will have us believe. If you listen to some of the posters on these boards the only people working are them and everyone else is slurping at the public trough. That simply is not true. Maine people have long been known for their positive work ethic and as an employer I can honestly say that the Maine work ethic is alive and well. The other thing I have seen expressed on these boards is that the young of our State are lazy. Yes there is a small portion that fit into that category but the overwhelming majority of young Mainers do not. According to the LePage administration the current budget has a shorfall of $220 million. The first question is why? According to Ms. Mayhew only a small percentage of that number can be attributed to an increase in the amount of people receiving services. If that is the case is the shortfall caused by not preparing a proper budget in the first place? If that is the case then the question that needs to be asked was DHHS underfunded by mistake or as some have suggested on purpose? There has also been mention of putting someplace around $40 million into a rainy day fund. Our country is currently , depending on who you listen to, either still in or just coming out of the worst recession in over 75 years. Unemployment is higher, much higher then the numbers released by the DOL because they only reflect those who are receiving unemployment payments. I would say that rather then putting money way for the proverbial “rainy day” we would be better off to realize that this is the rainy day. We , as I said earlier, need to reduce the number of Mainers on government assistance. In order to do that we need a plan, and blowing up the entire system is not a plan, sorry Governor LePage. Maine did not get into the mess we are currently in over night and it will not be solved over night either. What is needed are reasonable, responsible people working together to find a LONG TERM solution. Eliminating fraud needs to be a priority. Reducing the number of people on the different programs has to take place as well. Cuts have to take place. Not just at DHHS but across the entire State budget. I do not like paying taxes but I also know that cuts by themselves will not solve the problem. In my opinion if you do not have enough money coming in you do not go to your boss and ask for a cut in pay. Maine needs a plan to fix the problems and pointing fingers, calling names, and bullying are not the way to solve our problems.
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Sounds logical, I pay my bills… Why shouldnt States and Federal Govt do the same….???
the state is required to have a balanced budget
You have bills? Have you ever had a mortgage? What happens when Lepage Mortgage comes banging on your door saying he gave away the states revenue and he needs you to pay your mortgage now or he’s going to foreclose. What if Lepage Power sends you a notice that you need to pay your power bills in advance or he’ll cut you off. Some rich people don’t care if there are schools or hospitals or roads, and some don’t care if there are sick or hungry people either. They have theirs and that’s all that matters.
What a concept. Pay your bills before borrowing. I love this guy!
The government budget is not a household budget.
Interest rates on these bonds are at historic lows.
The spending will boost demand, provide income and sorely lacking construction jobs, and enhance infrastructire.
Deficit spending in this economy makes sense, unless your only goal is to balance the budget.
You still have to pay back the principle! How is that borrowing money to stimulate the economy thing working out on the federal level? News flash. Not so good. Remember the shovel ready projects scam? Even the Golfer in Chief had to admit that there weren’t any…..except the pipeline project which wouldn’t cost the taxpayer a dime. And he opposes that of course. Lets cut spending and not increase borrowing.
Agree. Taking out a bond is merely renting somebody’s money. You still eventually have to pay back the principal, plus the interest. This amounts to just kicking the debt can down the road for our grandkids to try to pay for. Another problem: you take out so many of these long term bonds, and the combined annual interest (debt service cost) starts adding up to a point where a big chunk of every current dollar has to be allotted to previous bond repayment. Politicians LOVE this! They get to take credit for masterful planning, they duck the responsibility of struggling to live within our means, they get votes!
temp jobs (less than a year) for 30 year notes make sense to you???
Your accusation that I am a racist is to put it simply. Ignorant. Playing the race card is getting pretty old and worn out. Nice try. I dont care if our president is red,white,blue orgreen in color. I want a president who is a leader, somebody who actually had a job, and worked for a living.Somebody who does not want the US to become a welfare state. Somebody who doesnt want to leave trillions in debt to our kids. Thats what I would like. If you do not agree, too bad. Go pound sand and take your race bait talk with you.
Oh my, such nastiness. You know the more you talk here the more you begin to sound just like Mr. LePage. Unfortunately as we all know, under the BDN rules on commenting many of Poor Paul’s thoughts would never be allowed to be posted here. Don’t worry about me, I’ll not flag this “Sand Pounding” comment because I think it frames you and your thought processes about anyone other than yourself better than all the self-indulgent verbiage that you’ve posted thus far. I personally hope it stays here forever as a reference point, but I have my doubts that it will. Oh well, better luck and use of nicer thoughts next time.
Oh let’s have the Democrat way of thinking with unicorns, rainbows , lollipops, roses with everything being all ok continuing the same failed path we have had for 40 years. When we all know the state is collapsing because of the morons the Liberals in Maine continuing to re-elect. It is about time we have LePage and Republicans because they aren’t sitting on their butts collecting a check they are doing something about it. That angers folks like Cynthia Dill, Peggy Rotundo, Justin Alfond, Dawn Hill, John Martin, and Emily Cain. Who all have done nothing but sit their and collect taxpayer paychecks for years.
If you must re-tread that path over the past 40 years, you would find much to the benefit of your own edification, the fact that Maine has survived quite well under a mixture of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.
Your preference for a military dictator running the state, is one we are all suffering. There has not been one Republican, Democrat, or Independent governor serving during those past 40 years who has been so self serving, dispassionate, and arrogant – a bully, whose day is not complete without a threat.
None of the governors who have served threatened or tried to coerce the Legislative branch of government to give the governor what he demands,or, he would close the state’s schools. None of the governors were disrespectful to the people they served, or, the president of the United States. They were proud to serve the state and its people, and all did with professional acumen.
Your outdated classification of Liberals as morons is typical of the vulgarity and slap happy rule embraced by those who worship Le Page, for all of the trouble he causes the people of the State of Maine – rich and poor, especially the latter. He is the worst advertisement for bringing business into the state.
Maine has never been so unhappy since Le Page started to rule under the tea party manifesto.
Yeh, Lepage is an economic rocket scientist, thats why our economy is just taking off.
before the rocket can fly you have to shovel all the crap off it that BaldArchie threw on it and I have to say it must have been quite deep
well well Mr. Relaxed I have read your comments many a time if I remember quite well you yourself are quite capable of opening your garbage shute yourself. watch out it does not fly back and hit you in the face.
I have long noted that one of the FIRST things the Libs do is haul out that worn out ol’ Race Card, if they begin to feel like they are starting to lose a debate on the merits of the case. It has become a knee-jerk reaction with them purely because it almost always works to stifle debate. I ignore it anymore. To illustrate this, I offer an anecdote from 50 years ago. It took place in the public high school in Newport, RI. A teacher, assigned to hall monitor duty during the intraclass period when students were moving between classrooms, saw a young black kid running. As he passed her, she pounced on him and grabbed him by the back of his shirt, saying, “Whoa!” Without turning around to see who had nabbed him, he screeched, “You’re just picking on me because I’m black!!!” The teacher, who was also black, turned him around to face her and asked, “And who do you think I am, Nanook of the North?” The point is – that line had always worked for that kid in the past…
You have a fabulous imagination.
In referring to president Obama, few would deny that no president ever entered such an hostile environment, as the president did three years ago.
It is important to acknowledge that strenuous opposition to the President’s socialist agenda does NOT constitute racism. Some Liberals (I am not saying that you are in that number, because I do not know you) would have it that ANY disagreement with Obama is heresy at the least, and more probably PROOF of innate racism. This is not a sustainable position.
“socialist” agenda what a joke. You guys apparently don’t realize America has been running on socialism since it’s existence…people pooling their funds and efforts together for the common good: fire and police, highways and bridge construction and maintenance and snow removal, the military, the FCC, the FDA, SEC and on and on and on. The socialist slam is not only lame, it’s crazy talk.
Saddled with a $2 trillion dollar debt from the Bush-Cheney rulem somehow he managed to get a few things done.
Obama brought the stock market up 5500 points from Bush’s dismal 6500.
Gas prices are 3 dollars in Alabama.
Unemployment is going down as we recover from the Bush recession.
Brought our troops home from Iraq.
Passed equal pay for women.
Expanded eligibility for State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
Passed new benefits package for veterans.
Passed new credit card bill of rights.
Expanded loan programs for small businesses.
Made greater investment in advanced military air technology.
Created a real National Infrastructure Protection Plan.
Appointed White House Coordinator for Nuclear Security.
Granted Americans rights to visit family and send money to Cuba.
Provided affordable, high-quality child-care.
Rescued the American hostages from the pirates.
Rebuilding schools in New Orleans
Passed the new Start treaty.
Invested in new alternative energy.
Major investment in high speed rail.
Saved GM and Chrysler.
Saved the banks.
Brought the stock market back from 6500
Passed financial reform.
Passed healthcare reform.
Oh…Got rid of Osama Bin Laden and through NATO wiped out the 40- year- old repressive regime of terrorist Khadafi.
Appointed first Hispanic Judge
Repealed DADT
Gas prices are 3 dollars in Alabama was $1.69
Brought our troops home from Iraq already put in plan by Bush
Passed healthcare reform. majority of Americans didn’t want and still don’t
I could go on but Obama is just a Media darling isn’t he. Biggest joke of a Commander in Chief yet
$1.69 back before Bush. Republicans are still complaining Obama is bringing home the troops from Iraq. Wrong about healthcare as most Americans want a plan even better than what Obama got passed. Got Osama…boy do you guys get all your “facts” wrong.
Wrong it was $1.69 when Barack took office and it increased $1.00 in the first five months and has gone up ever since. But you don’t hear the liberals or left media complaining about that do you. Who’s complaining about the troops maybe a few republicans not all. You are correct about Americans wanting better a better health care plan. It’s just that for those of us whose chose to work for a company that has healthcare coverage, we don’t want ours taken away. We also don’t want to pay for someone else’s( and before you spin it like Chris Matthews, I don’t mean senior citizens on medicare). I mean people who rather drive around in a $40,000 SUV, have a $100 or more cell phone plan and have $100 satellite bill, instead of paying for health coverage.
gas prices were about $2.50-2.70 nationwide when Bush left us his Recession and any increases in the first 5 months would be all of Bush’s fault anyways. As the economy has improved so have gas prices risen. Your leader Romney wants us back in Iraq. Obamacare doesn’t take away ANYONE’S health insurance through their employment. The “hands off my healthcare” mantra from rightwingers was just a bs propaganda ploy by GOP cheerleaders.
No. Bush and Cheney can claim the biggest jokers title for creating a war out of lies. We paid and will continue to pay for what your C-in-C and his cronies did. Bush envisioned a pull out of Iraq in November. But it was Obama who finalized it.
Bush as C-in-C., publicly stated he was not one bit interested in killing the mastermind behind 9/11. Obama sent out a killing team and nailed him. He also helped get rid of the Libyan terrorist Khadafi who blew an American plane out of the skies over Scotland.
Putting prescription drugs in the hand of seniors who can ill-afford the bloated prices is another good thing on the home front. There are many, despite your contention that there are not, who need medical assistance who can ill afford it.
that hook line and sinker you swallowed along with the rotten bait is starting to smell
The US has been a welfare state of sorts ever since the whole experiment began: think of land grants, monopoly concessions, subsidies, wars for commerce and empire – all done to give certain people a leg up on the competition so to speak. The corporate and individual recipients of all that government largesse were never ones to call it welfare – they called it any thing except that (and still do), but that’s exactly what it was and is. It is the less powerful who get that label when they receive anything.
Actually, a Green President might not be so bad though terribly lonely.
I must say, upon reflection, there is much merit in what you say…. as one who voted for him once and maybe… maybe, will vote for him again I am appalled at what constitutes an opposing candidate in opposition…. where oh where is the opposition!?!?!? I await Christie or the ex governor of Louisiana Buddy Roemer but no….. they shy away, or in Roemer’s case, are completely ignored. Methinks they see the hand writing on the wall….. but, BUT, you tear down any thought of success when you state as fact the ignoble fantasy of your fictitious latherings …..
The bottom line, is my apologies for injecting race where none was said or intended….
David P. Allen
Contributing Editor, emeritus, Videography Magazine
Accepted. No harm,no foul.
Quite simple. You can only make the house payments with a credit card for so long. It’s only a matter of time before it catches up with you.
Now now Uncle Dave, You seem to be playing the race card here. This is what people do when they are intellectually bankrupt. And we know that is not you. What you are doing is so 60ish. Could it be possible that Hozhed just does not like the liberalism that Obama is imposing on America??
If Hozhed’s problem with Obama is purely political, than it seems that you would own him an apology right here on this forum. After all, this forum is where you insinuated that he’s a racist.
Why should the State fund jobs? The taxpayers fund the State and I do not want them spending my tax money to fund jobs! LePage has it just right! Pay the bills before borrowing more money already–what a neat idea! Bout time common sense is used in government. All you liberals on welfare and other forms of subsidization in Maine, with so much time to post here, should move! Debt is burying the State, the Country and LePage is a VISIONARYWITHGUTS!
It looks like that huge tax break, mostly for rich cronies, might have been a little premature given what Pauly now sees as a budget shortfall. This man has no foresight whatsoever. But it would be political suicide for him to admit that he just might have goofed big time. I’m sure the average Maine taxpayer would gladly give back the $20-$30 a year that the tax cut saved them to have Pauly and his cronies pay their fair share or better yet, just go away.
Balddaci’s last budget was 5.8 billion, Lepage’s budget is 6.3 billion and now he wants even more tax payer money.. Maine can’t afford any more of Lepage and his Tax , tax , tax , spend ,spend,spend cry baby economics.
Hey what do you mean I can’t have a Bank Loan to make payments on my already fifteen bank loans.. You have always let me do it before….
Borrowing money for stuff the general fund should cover is stupid..
Does anyone out there know how many bonds the state has out there already… I’m asking because every election I remember a bond was voted on… I’m thinking there is a least 8 tire disposal bonds..
shouldn’t the state also “pay it’s bill” before giving away revenue via tax cuts???
giving away money via tax cuts………..
You obviously don’t understand how this works. The government takes YOUR money away from you to spend irresponsibly on things it can’t afford. Tax cuts merely gives you back a portion of YOUR own money. Money that was yours to begin with. Money you earned. Money that you could spend or save to support yourself. The only way it is ever going to be fixed is to get rid of withholding and require every one of you to send in your taxes quarterly. When you are forced to write that check you will experience the outrage that many of us feel. That would produce the outrage necessary to end this madness.
So glad I have decided to move out of Maine. I’d rather pay income tax to a state that uses my contributions to help those in need, not those with greed.
People who have never lived in other states don’t realize this, but…the cost of living here is through the roof compared to many other places…and the jobs don’t pay worth crap and almost none have benefits. I’d rather go where I can get almost double the pay with full benefits AND have a nicer place to live for cheaper.
Does this mean that thet state can’t borrow money to pay off those bills like I had to do when I wasn’t able to pay all of my bills? I’m sure I’ll be getting lots of negative comments on this one but oh well.
What a radical idea. Pay what you owe before
borrowing more to pay what you owe.
Pretty radical idea. Give away 200 million in tax cuts, then put the 200 million onto the backs of people who have nothing. Republican Health Care Plan, the sick should just take a long walk “down back” and quietly expire, so we can have another tax break.
“Give away 200 million in tax cuts.”
THAT right there is the fundamental flaw in the liberal mind. You do realize that 200 million was earned by somebody right? It wasn’t the government’s money.
And just what does that have to do with paying
what you owe before borrowing? Yes, the libber
fruitpies use the repubs want to kill granny as a
laughable excuse for spending. I am sure libbers
are the only ones who get old then?
It’s easy to get bogged down in debates. Let’s just say no more taxes, and that should include bond issues.
If “bonding” will fix the economy it seems like it should have been “fixed” a long time ago, as we sure have done lots of “bonding” in the name of “job creation”.
The only job creation “government does” is to create jobs working for government , that then become a burden on the rest of society.
We have more people “working for us” already than we can possibly afford.
What we have here is a failure to communicate. The Liberals desparately trying to protect their failed policies of the past and the Republicans trying to get to reality and prevent a train wreck. I believe it is up to Mainers to figure out their future and support the more sensible and logical approach.
Hey — I’ve got an idea for the budget shortfall – why not ‘let his daughter go’ and find someone who would be willing to work for a ‘Maine’ wage and pay them only 12,000 to 18,000 as secretary. I still am frought with frustration that the baffoon would think to appoint his daughter into a 40,000 plus position (if I read correctly – she has already received a raise????!!! WT heck???) The adult daughter lives at the Blaine House with all the comforts and perks and most likely pays nothing for her housing costs. Probably (from her appearance) she just keeps ordering the kitchen to throw another shrimp/steak on the barbie!!!!!!! Had to say it!!!
Yes keep it up. The Democrates will go nuts..
Republican Paul Lepage’s budget is 6.3 billions dollars and he says he needs even more money to keep it balanced.
Baldacci’s last balanced budget was 5.8 billion dollars and it even had some money left over.
All the haters who blame our budget troubles on Democrats need to explain why Republican Paul Lepage is the one who can’t run this state in the black.
Baldacci balanced his budet by not paying bills
What bills would that be?
We need to improve, repair and replace more than $1 billion in Maine transportation infrastructure alone, regardless of the current state of the economy. Without these investments we will never achieve our economic potential because the infrastructure that businesses require will simply not be there. Five years from now that infrastructure repair bill will be $2 billion. How will be pay for that? Or will we just ignore it to the point we’re driving on dirt roads again? If you apply the basic principles of capital budgeting to this issue it becomes very clear that bonding for infrastructure projects — now, as opposed to years from now — makes great sense.
oh and BTW – who the heck cut the baffoon’s hair – the nite of the state of the state address featured him with the worst haircut EVER!!!!
At least he had hair to cut
GO GET EM PAUL
As much as I dislike LePuke, he has a point about paying our bills before taking on more debt. The state owes hospitals more than 100 million dollars. Who has to make up for this? the people of Maine with higher medical cost. The Dumocrats want to borrow money to rebuild the roads and transportation systems which is great, but I don’t believe adding to the debt will help the job market. I think Maines biggest problem with jobs is we are at the end of line, the cost of shipping product in and out of Maine hurts us. Maine was where things were made with great pride and known worldwide, now even L.L. Beans stuff is made with cheap labor from other countries. We need to find ways to put Maine back on the map and make people want to spend money for products that have MADE IN MAINE with PRIDE on the label not just lobster, but to make it happen we need to support local business’ and buy Maine made.
The governor might be persuasive in saying we must pay our bills before borrowing if he did not precede this with a tax cut that busted the budget. If we cannot afford to make critical investments in our future with infrastructure, how can we afford to give these tax breaks? To hear the news lately, it seems there may be other tax cuts debated by the legislature as well.
There are two sides to balancing a budget, revenue and spending. At the end of the day it is not enough to simply say we want to cut spending. Specifics need to be addressed. The priorities that this governor has established will not be supported by the majority. It is simply wrong to cut off care to those with serious illnesses. This will only provide a temporary savings. The cost of care will rise as these sick people will seek care in the E-R, the least efficient provider of all. That will increase rates for the insured. These so called solutions are just cost shifting shell games. In the end we will pay far more than we save.
borrow to create jobs, the state is in trouble because of that thinking, thank goodness for LePage trying to put some sense into all this
Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the state must pay its bills before it borrows more money.
The Governor is only talking about the bills that are due within the $220 million budget. What about the bills that are way overdue for the hospitals around the state? Why is he conveniantly forgetting to pay these past due bills? Why is he also forgetting the penalties that the Feds will assess when he makes his drastic cuts to the elderly & poor? He has, no doubt, read the response from Washington but refuses to believe that they will not grant the waiver he wants, or the nonpayment of funds from Washington that will occur if the legislature goes along with his demands.
Govenor LaPage be honest and tell the public exactly what overdue bills you intend to pay.
ya know it would seem to me that The Gov’ner should had made the proper projestion of what the State of Maine yearly income budget would be and make sure that he had enough revenue to pay those bills with some left for emergencys, before he made any Tax Cuts. Seems to me that if I havent got enough to pay my bills at home that I sould not quit one of my Jobs and just say the heck with paying half of my bills.